As you might expect, the more members you have in your university local unit, the stronger it will be. The following tips and talking points are designed to help you grow your membership. 

Recruitment suggestions 

Reach out to prospective members at your education department’s student-teacher orientation and similar events each semester. If possible, set up a display table with applications, promotional items, and snacks. (Talk to your university sponsor about how to gather supplies.) 

If your university hosts a student job fair, ask if your local unit can sponsor the event. You could provide snacks and folders for each attendee, or set up a booth to distribute ATPE information. 

When you are talking with prospective members, it really helps to speak from your own perspective and personal experience as an ATPE member. Share what you know, in your own words. Emphasize that signing up for ATPE is simple and a great value. The following talking points are just for starters. 

Recruitment talking points 

• By joining ATPE while you’re still in college, you’re plugging into the leading educators’ association in Texas and the largest independent association for public school educators in the United States. That’s a vast network of approximately 100,000 connections and resources to support your future career. 

• Eligible student teacher members are protected by up to $8 million in  professional liability insurance* when student teaching or otherwise interacting with students (e.g., observations).  

• As an ATPE member, you can take advantage of exclusive services and discounts, potentially saving you  hundreds of dollars each year on products and services educators use every day. 

• The  In the Classroom  section of ATPE.org is packed with information for student teachers, including tips on financial aid, internships, TExES exam prep, job searches, student loan forgiveness, interviews and more. ATPE also provides huge support for first-year teachers, such as mentorship and classroom insights. Be sure to check out Your First Classroom, a popular resource with new educators, as well as The Answer Key, a downloadable guide to help you navigate your career.  

• YES Texas!® is an affinity group within ATPE dedicated to establishing the needs of future, young, and new educators and delivering products that meets those needs. Contact ATPE Membership at members@atpe.org for more information. 

• Student members can attend our annual conference for FREE. The ATPE Summit is a fantastic opportunity to learn more about your profession and the association through professional development opportunities, university-specific sessions, special activities, and more.